Chinese Man Dies After Working For 104 Days With Only 1 Day Off

Beijing: A 30-year-old Chinese man died from organ failure after working 104 days straight with just one day off. A court later decided that his employer bears 20% responsibility for his death and has ordered them to provide compensation to his family. The man, identified as A’bao, was a painter who developed a lung infection that led to his death in June 2023, according to a Chinese daily.

A’bao worked every day from February to May, taking only one day off on April 6. After a brief sick leave on May 25, his health quickly worsened, and he was hospitalized on May 28.

He died on June 1 from pneumococcal infection and respiratory failure.

After his death, A’bao’s family sued his employer for "gross negligence." Although social security officials initially did not consider his death a work-related injury because of its timing, the family argued that his extreme working conditions played a major role in his death.

The company claimed that A’bao’s working hours were reasonable and that any extra work was “voluntary.” They also said his health problems were due to pre-existing issues and his delay in getting medical help.

However, Zhoushan Intermediate People’s Court found the company 20 percent at fault for A’bao’s death. The court ruled that the 104-day stretch of work violated Chinese Labour Law, which limits daily work to eight hours and weekly work to 44 hours.

The court awarded A’bao’s family 400,000 yuan (approximately Rs 47,46,000) in compensation and 10,000 yuan (approximately Rs 1,17,000) for emotional distress. The company’s appeal was unsuccessful, and the ruling was upheld in August.